The temporary flight suspension on F-35 test aircraft has been lifted, Lockheed Martin spokesman John Kent told the Daily Report Wednesday. Air Force, Marine Corps, and Navy F-35 test aircraft were grounded Oct. 1 after officials detected a software anomaly in the fuel boost pumps. That issue could have possibly led to engine stall, Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell told reporters during a briefing Tuesday. Kent said new software was loaded onto the aircraft over the weekend, enabling AF-1, one of USAF’s F-35A test aircraft, to return to the air Tuesday at Edwards AFB, Calif., successfully flying for an hour and a half. Morrell said the flight pause was not a serious setback. “This is precisely why we have a test program—to try to encounter problems early, fix them, and move on from that,” he said. (Morrell transcript)
The Air Force’s plans for its portion of joint all-domain command and control have taken a major step forward. The service awarded an indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity, multiple-award contract worth up to $950 million to 27 companies. The IDIQ deal will give 27 contractors the opportunity to compete for work…